There are known plasma thrusters or "accelerators" with a closed electron drift. These thrusters typically comprise a discharge chamber with an annular accelerating channel; an anode situated in the accelerating channel; a magnetic system; and a cathode. These thrusters are effective devices for ionization and acceleration of different substances, and are used as EPT and as sources of accelerated ion flows. However, they have a relatively low efficiency and insufficient lifetime to provide a solution of a number of problems.
The closest prior art approach to the present invention is a thruster with a closed electron drift comprising: a discharge chamber with an annular accelerating channel facing the exit part of the discharge chamber and formed by the inner and outer discharge chamber walls with closed cylindrical equidistant regions of working surfaces; an annular anode-distributor having small channels for a gas supply situated inside the accelerating channel at a distance from the exit ends of the discharge chamber walls that exceeds the width of the accelerating channel; a gas supply from the anode to the accelerating channel via a system of feedthrough holes on the anode exit surface; a magnetic system with external and internal poles placed at the exit part of the discharge chamber walls on the outside of the outer wall and inside the internal wall, respectively, to form an operating gap; a magnetic path with a central core, and with at least one outer and one inner source of magnetic field placed in the magnetic path circuit at the internal and external poles, respectively; and, a gas discharge hollow cathode placed outside the accelerating channel. This thruster also has the aforementioned deficiencies.